direct
5. THE OUNTCOME OF THE DISCUSSIONS HERE WAS A CONSENSUS THAT THE ONLY EFFECTIVE MEANS OF BROACHING THE SUBJECT WITH THE CHINESE ON
Communica.THIS SUBJECT WOULD BE THROUGH A DIRECT COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE
after the Sofs have broucked! the subject count low.
SECRETARY OF STATE AND WU XUEQIAN, INITIALLY DURING WU'S VISIT TO EUROPE IN MAY AND THEREAFTER WHEN THEY MEET LATER IN THE YEAR AT THE UNGA IN NEW YORK AND DURING HER MAJESTY'S VISIT TO CHINA. THE AMBASSADOR AGREED TO TELEGRAPH HIS VIEWS ON THE MODALITIES OF THIS
EXERCISE.
6. WE HAVE IN THE MEANWHILE PREPARED FOUR PAPERS (TEXTS IN MY
4.IFTS) :-
A) THE FIRST IS A COVERING PAPER ON THE ISSUE OF CONVERGENCE BETWEEN OUR PLANS FOR REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT AND CHINESE PLANS FOR THE BASIC LAW. THIS IS THE BASIC DOCUMENT THAT ENVISAGE BEING HANDED TO THE CHINESE. IT TAKES AS ITS STARTING POINT THE OUTCOME OF THE DISCUSSIONS IN JLG *H AND MR. RENTON'S TALK WITH ZHOU NAN ON CONVERGENCE. IT AIMS TO SET OUT THE STEPS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN TO COVERT THE EXISTING SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT N HONG KONG TO ONE THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE JOINT DECLARATION (AND BY IMPLICATION THE BASIC LAW), WHILE TRYING TO HEAD THE CHINESE OFF FROM ANY IDEA OF IMPOSING A SYSTEM COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM THE PRESENT ONE:
B) THE SECOND IS A SUPPLEMENTARY PAPER NO. 1 SPELLING OUT HOW THE VARIOUS INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERNMENT ACTUALLY WORK, AS OPPOSED TO HOW THE CONSTITUTIONAL DOCUMENTS SAY THEY WORK. THE POINT HERE OF COURSE IS TO MAKE CLEAR THE EXTENT TO WHICH HONG KONG WORKS ON THE
BASIS OF CONSENSUS RATHER THAN DIRECTION FROM ABOVE:
C) THE THIRD IS A SUPPLEMENTARY PAPER NO. 2 AND DESCRIBES THE PRESENT STATE OF OPINION IN HONG KONG ON THE 1987 REVIEW. THIS IS INTENDED TO DISARM AS FAR AS WE CAN REMAINING CHINESE SUSPICIONS AS TO OUR PLANS FOR 1987, AND TO GIVE THE QUID PRO QUO FOR OUT ATTEMPTS TO PROVIDE INPUT INTO THE DRAFTING OF THE BASIC LAW. IT IS IMPORTANT
THAT THE PAPER IS PRESENTED W SUCH A WAY THAT WE ARE NOT AT THIS STAGE COMMITTED TO EVERY DETAIL OF IT OR OPEN TO THE ACCUSATION OF
ANTICIPATING PUBLIC VIEWS IN 1987:
PAPERS 1 AND 2 WOULD ALSO BE GIVEN TO THE CHINESE, IN ADDITION TO THE COVERING PAPER.
D) THE FOURTH IS A PAPER ON THE BASIC LAW. THIS IS HNTENDED FOR USE WITH TRUSTWORTHY MEMBERS OF THE BLDC. IT WOULD NOT BE HANDED TO
THE CHINESE, BUT WE HAVE ATTEMPTED TO DRAFT IT IN SUCH A WAY THAT
IF IT DID LEAK IT WOULD NOT CAUSE EMBARRASSMENT TO HMG, THE HKG
OR THE CHINESE.
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